'Thank you, Navi Mumbai'

Naik admits that MNS factor played a crucial part

After the victory, a jubilant Sanjeev Naik had only two sentences to say. "The credit for the win goes to my party members and the people who voted for me," Naik said while greeting his party members and followers. An ecstatic crowd lifted Naik and MLC Jitendra Avhad to express their joy. A long car rally around Thane city followed.

He was accompanied by Airoli-based NCP corporator M K Madhvi, Vashi-based loyalist Bharat Nakhate, former standing committee chairperson Jayaji Nath and other prominent corporators of Navi Mumbai. Both, Congress and NCP leaders as well as party workers from Thane, Navi Mumbai and Mira Bhayander area scrambled to take credit for the victory.

"Thane is no longer Shiv Sena's bastion. We have snatched their votes right under their nose and the pro-development work that we will undertake from now onwards in the entire constituency will ensure that Thane remains with the NCP for many more years to come. The hard work of party members has borne fruit," said a thrilled Avhad, for whom the defeat of a Sena candidate in the backyard is harbinger of great opportunities in the forthcoming Assembly and civic elections.

Congress leader Namdeo Bhagat followed suit and said, "We had predicted a lead of 40,000 votes and the results have surpassed our expectations." Few others contributed the anti-incumbency vote to the fact that Thanekars wanted a change.